Brick-and-Mortar Pharmacies Lag Behind Mail-Order, Digital Counterparts

Recent trends indicate a significant shift in how consumers access their medications, with mail-order and digital pharmacies gaining ground in customer satisfaction. According to the “J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Pharmacy Study,” satisfaction with mail-order services has increased by six points, while traditional brick-and-mortar pharmacies have seen their scores decline.

The study highlighted common issues with chain drugstores: long wait times, difficulties in prescription ordering, and diminished trust in pharmacists. Only 51% of customers reported feeling their prescriptions were filled promptly, and an equal percentage deemed their pharmacist trustworthy. Conversely, users of mail-order services enjoy the convenience and reliability that these platforms provide.

Familiarity with pharmacists offers brick-and-mortar stores a unique advantage. As Christopher Lis of J.D. Power noted, 52% of consumers are now aware of digital pharmacies, particularly giants like Amazon Pharmacy. This trend poses a threat to traditional pharmacies, which must enhance their offerings in convenience and service quality to keep pace.

The survey also revealed a stark contrast across pharmacy types. Good Neighbor Pharmacy ranked highest in the brick-and-mortar sector for the eighth year in a row, while PillPack by Amazon led the mail-order category. As digital pharmacy awareness rises, brick-and-mortar operations need to re-evaluate their strategies to improve customer engagement and retention. Adapting to these market changes will be essential to mitigate the risk of losing market share to their digital counterparts.